NOT ONE of the controversial Taser stun guns has been fired by Tayside Police in the year since they were issued.

Superintendent Kenny Sinclair, head of operational support for Tayside Police, said that although they are deployed as routine on any armed operations, their use has never been needed.

His comments came after it was reported that the use of Taser stun guns is to be expanded in England and Wales.

More than 3000 extra stun guns, which temporarily disable a suspect by delivering a 50,000-volt shock, have been distributed to special firearms officers south of the border.

Home Secretary John Reid told the Police Federation conference yesterday that he also wants non-firearms officers working in specialist units to have the weapons.

Mr Reid also wants officers to be able to use the stun guns if they are confronted by violence or threats and not just if a weapon is presented at them, as is the current situation.

Mr Sinclair said, “They have been used in Scotland but not by Tayside Police, although we do deploy Taser stun guns on all occasions as a less lethal weapon when there is deployment of armed officers.

“In Tayside we are very fortunate over the number of times and the need to deploy any weapons. Where the Tasers have been deployed it has been very effective where the person has been stopped without any injury.”

A Fife police spokesman said firearms officers had been trained in the use of tasers as a “less lethal option” since April, 2006 but was unable to give out any statistical data on whether they had been used in the region or how many were in distribution.

Instead, the following statement was issued, “The Association of Chief Police Officers in Scotland (ACPOS) is aware of the proposal to carry out a pilot in England and Wales to examine extending the use of Taser to a wider pool of officers than currently is the case.

“ACPOS will monitor these developments carefully. The current ACPOS policy is that the Taser will only be issued to authorised firearms officers who have successfully completed an approved course. This policy will remain pending the outcome of the aforementioned pilot and any subsequent evaluation.”